Edward Koziel
Edward Koziel
Edward Koziel, born June 19, 1939, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at the age of 87. Edward was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend. He was married to his beloved wife, Patricia Koziel, for 67 years. Together, they built a family filled with love, memories, and traditions that will continue for generations. In the mid-1960s, Edward’s father purchased a cabin on Lake Wisconsin in Merrimac, Wisconsin, beginning a family legacy that would span five generations. Edward and his brothers developed a passion for fast and performance boats in the 1960s and brought that passion to Lake Wisconsin. Boating became one of Edward’s greatest loves, and he passed that passion on to his sons. The lake became the place where family and friends gathered; summers were spent together, and memories were made. For many years, every boat the family owned was named “Family Tradition,” a fitting tribute to the boating legacy Edward helped create. That tradition continues today through his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Edward certainly made some unforgettable memories on the water. To his family’s knowledge, he may have been the only person on Lake Wisconsin to both flip a boat and sink a drag boat. One boating adventure even landed him in the hospital, while another resulted in a drag boat sinking near the dam. Those stories became part of the family’s history and are memories that will be remembered and told for years to come. Edward also left his sons another unexpected lifelong passion-the Beatles. In the mid-1970s, Edward had a boat with Beatles eight-track tapes that happened to come with the boat when he purchased it. His sons, Eddie, Tommy, and Joseph, played those tapes over and over again. What started as music simply being on the boat became a lifelong love of the Beatles shared by all three brothers—a small but lasting gift from their father. Edward is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Patricia Koziel, and his children: Edward and his wife, Denise, of Sun Prairie; Joseph and his wife, Nicole, of Lake Wisconsin; and Thomas Elroy and his wife, Bobbie, of Apple Valley, Minnesota. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Emma, Abby, Olivia, Tommy, Taylor, Joey, Suzanne, Holly, Samantha, and Alysa, and his great-grandchildren, Isabel and Joey. Edward will be deeply missed by his family and all who knew and loved him. His greatest legacy is the family he built, the traditions he passed down, and the countless memories he created along the way. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Nicole and Holly for their love, care, and tremendous help during Edward’s final weeks. Edward was able to spend his final days at his family’s home on Lake Wisconsin, with a beautiful view of the lake he loved so much—a peaceful and fitting place for him to say goodbye. And when his sons think of their father, they will always remember the lake, the boats, the “Family Traditions,” the Beatles playing on those old eight-tracks—and a lifetime of memories made together.
“There are places I remember...” — The Beatles, “In My Life”
Tuschen-Newcomer Funeral Home
Sun Prairie, WI 608-837-5400
